Background:

• IR 100 Award, 1983
• Anachem Award, 1984
• Meggers Award for year 1983, Society for Applied Spectroscopy, 1984
• Lester W. Strock Medal, Society for Applied Spectroscopy, 1984
• Chemical Instrumentation Award, American Chemical Society, Analytical Division, 1985
• Pittsburgh Analytical Chemistry Award, Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh, 1986
• Theophilus Redwood Award, Royal Society of Chemistry, United Kingdom, 1986
• ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry Sponsored by Fisher Scientific Company, 1987
• American Association for the Advancement of Science, Fellow, 1987
• Tracy M. Sonneborn Award, Indiana University, 1987
• Pergamon/Spectrochimica Acta Atomic Spectroscopy Award, 1988
• R&D 100 Award, Research & Development Magazine, 1988
• Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh, Honorary Membership, 1988
• Award in Spectrochemical Analysis, American Chemical Society, Analytical Division, 1989
• Indiana Academy of Science, Fellow, 1989
• Pergamon/Spectrochimica Acta Atomic Spectroscopy Award, 1991
• Eastern Analytical Symposium Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Fields of Analytical Chemistry, 1992
• Lester W. Strock Medal, Society for Applied Spectroscopy ,1992
• Golden Key National Honor Society, Honorary Member, 1993
• Distinguished Faculty Award, Indiana University Arts and Sciences Alumni Association, 1993
• Honorary Professor, Jilin University, Jilin, China, 1995
• Humboldt Research Award for Senior U.S. Scientists, Alexander Von Humboldt - Stiftung, Germany, 1996
• Meggers Award for year 1995, Society for Applied Spectroscopy, 1996
• Excellence in Teaching Award, American Chemical Society, Analytical Division, 1998
• Gill Chair, College of Arts & Sciences, Indiana University, 1999
• Society for Applied Spectroscopy, Honorary Membership, 1999
• Pittsburgh Spectroscopy Award, 2001
• Indiana Academy of Science Speaker of the Year, 2000-2001
• Trustees Teaching Award, Indiana University – 2002
• Distinguished Faculty Research Lecturer, Indiana University – 2004
• New York Section of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy Gold Medal Award - 2004
• Monie A. Ferst Award - 2004
• Society for Applied Spectroscopy Fellow of the Society Award – 2004
• Royal Society of Chemistry, Fellow of the Society – 2005
• Wolfgang-Paul-Lecture Award, German Mass Spectrometry Society – 2006
• Amy Mellon Lecturer, Purdue University, Department of Chemistry – 2007
• International CSI XXXV Award, sponsored by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd – 2007
• Maurice F. Hasler Award - 2009

Research in our group generally involves the areas of spectrochemical analysis, chemical instrumentation, and information theory; with particular emphasis on mass spectrometry and optical techniques in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared regions. Current projects include studies on basic atom formation, ionization, and excitation processes in flames and rare-gas plasmas, for use in atomic emission, absorption, mass, and fluorescence spectrometry; the development of new atomic methods of analysis; instrumental techniques to reduce the effects of background noise on measurements; computer-assisted chemical analysis; remote analysis based on fiber optics; near-infrared reflectance analysis; development of chromatographic detectors; plasma-source mass spectrometry; and picosecond time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. Two of these projects are described briefly in the following paragraphs.

Flame and plasma atomic spectrometry are currently the most widely used techniques for elemental analysis. However, these methods are still impaired by interference among elements, limited sensitivity, and instrumental complexity. It is our firm belief that these limitations can be largely overcome by gaining a basic understanding of the underlying phenomena in each of the methods and then carefully designing improved instrumentation. To this end, we have a substantial ongoing effort to understand and mechanistically characterize the events leading to the formation, ionization, and excitation of atoms in flames and rare-gas plasmas. The efficiency with which atoms are formed, ionized, and excited governs both the sensitivity and the degree of elemental interference in such methods. Understanding the formation and excitation processes of atoms and ions will lead to a rational improvement in instrument performance.

In another area, novel mass spectrometers are being designed that are intended for use in the field of proteomics. A large fraction of known proteins contain metal atoms; in such situations, it is important to characterize not only the protein, but which metal atoms it contains, how many metal atoms there are, and if there is more than one kind of metal present. To address this problem, we have devised a novel time-of-flight mass spectrometer that accepts two ion sources simultaneously. When coupled to a separations device (LC or electrophoresis), this new tool is expected to be important in the characterization of proteins.

	Thomson laser scattering system for acquisition of electron number densities and electron energy distributions in an analytical glow discharge (top-right corner)

Selected Publications:

"Chan, G.C.-Y. and Hieftje, G.M., In-situ Determination of Cross-over Point for Overcoming Plasma-related Matrix Effects in Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectrometry. Spectrochim. Acta, Part B, 63 , 355-356, (2008).

Andrade, F.J., Shelley, J.T., Wetzel, W.C., Webb, M.R., Gamez, G., Ray, S.J., and Hieftje, G.M., Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Source. 2. Desorption-Ionization for the Direct Analysis of Solid Compounds. Anal. Chem., 80 (8), 2654-2663, (2008).

Andrade, F.J., Shelley, J.T., Wetzel, W.C., Webb, M.R., Gamez, G., Ray, S.J., and Hieftje, G.M., Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Source. 1. Ionization of Compounds in the Gas Phase. Anal. Chem., 80 (8), 2646-2653, (2008).

Chan, G.C.-Y. and Hieftje, G.M., Use of Vertically Resolved Plasma Emission as an Indicator for Flagging Matrix Effects and System Drift in Inductively Coupled Plasma–Atomic Emission Spectrometry. J. Anal. At. Spec., 23 (2), 193-240, (2008).

Chan, G.C.-Y. and Hieftje, G.M., Warning Indicators for the Presence of Plasma-related Matrix Effects in Inductively Coupled Plasma- Atomic Emission Spectrometry. J. Anal. At. Spec., 23 (2), 181-192, (2008).

Webb, M.R., Andrade, F.J., and Hieftje, G.M., Compact Glow Discharge for the Elemental Analysis of Aqueous Samples. Anal. Chem., 79 (20), 7899-7905, (2007).

Webb, M.R., Andrade, F.J., and Hieftje, G.M., High-Throughput Elemental Analysis of Small Aqueous Samples by Emission Spectrometry with a Compact, Atmospheric-Pressure Solution-Cathode Glow Discharge. Anal. Chem., 79 (20), 7807-7812, (2007).

Schilling, G.D., Andrade, F.J., Barnes IV, J.H., Sperline, R.P., Denton, M.B., Barinaga, C.J., Koppenaal, D.W., and Hieftje, G.M., Continuous Simultaneous Detection in Mass Spectrometry. Anal. Chem., 79 (20), 7662-7668, (2007).

Engelhard, C., Scheffer, A., Maue, T., Hieftje, G.M., and Buscher, W., Application of Infrared Thermography for Online Monitoring of Wall Temperatures in Inductively Coupled Plasma Torches with Conventional and Low-Flow Gas Consumption. Spectrochim. Acta, 62 (10), 1161-1168, (2007).

Webb, M.R., Andrade, F.J., and Hieftje, G.M., Use of the Electrolyte Cathode Glow Discharge (ELCAD) for the Analysis of Complex Mixtures. J. Anal. At. Spec., 22 (7), 766-774, (2007).

Webb, M.R., Andrade, F.J., and Hieftje, G.M., The Annular Glow Discharge: A Small-Scale Plasma for Solution Analysis. J. Anal. At. Spec., 22 (7), 775-782, (2007).

Chan, G.C.-Y. and Hieftje, G.M., Investigation of Charge Transfer with Non-Argon Gaseous Species in Mixed-Gas Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry. Spectrochim. Acta, 62 (3), 196-210, (2007).

Gamez, G., Ray, S.J., Andrade, F.J., Webb, M.R., and Hieftje, G.M., Development of a Pulsed Radio Frequency Glow Discharge for Three-Dimensional Elemental Surface Imaging. I. Application to Biopolymer Analysis. Anal. Chem., 79 (4), 1317-1326, (2007).

Gamez, G., Lehn, S.A., Huang, M., and Hieftje, G.M., Effect of Mass Spectrometric Sampling Interface on the Fundamental Parameters of an Inductively Coupled Plasma as a Function of its Operating Conditions. Part II. Central-Gas Flow Rate and Sampling Depth. Spectrochim. Acta, 62 (4), 370-377, (2007).

Gamez, G., Lehn, S.A., Huang, M., and Hieftje, G.M., Effect of Mass Spectrometric Sampling Interface on the Fundamental Parameters of an Inductively Coupled Plasma as a Function of its Operating Conditions. Part I. Applied RF Power and Vacuum. Spectrochim. Acta, 62 (4), 357-369, (2007).